House extension - quote from structural engineer

Clive_Woody

Interesting development at the weekend.

My wife being a bit impatient waiting for the build to start in 5 weeks time decided to start pulling up the carpet in the conservatory and discovered an inspection cover hidden away under the carpet.

The inspection cover is circular and approximately 12 inches in diameter. This cover is in line with the down pipe from the bathroom so we assume is sewage waste.

We had a quick chat with the architect and she seemed to think that this was not a massive issue and tried to reassure us that this can be dealt with and advised speaking with the builder to see what he suggests.

The builder is due over this week anyway to discuss a few things so we can show him our 'surprise'.

I was wondering if anyone on here has encountered something like this before and what the possible solutions are.

The extension is just going to be a reception room but we are not exactly keen on the idea of a sewerage cover sitting in the middle of it.

Doozergirl

If you're feeling brave, open it and tell us where things seem to be coming from/going to. Specifically, we need to know if this inspection chamber involves your neighbours. Or, do you have the drainage searches from when you bought the house?

There is additional cost in moving the inspection chamber to somewhere less unsavoury.

If this inspection chamber shows that you're sharing drains with your neighbours, then there is now a legal requirement to have a buildover agreement from the water company. A lot of builders still aren't aware if this so make sure your builder is aware and can explain it to you, regardless of his opinion on what is needed.

Before going into detail, let's find out where it's coming from and going to.

Clive_Woody

Doozergirl wrote: »

If you're feeling brave, open it and tell us where things seem to be coming from/going to. Specifically, we need to know if this inspection chamber involves your neighbours. Or, do you have the drainage searches from when you bought the house?

There is additional cost in moving the inspection chamber to somewhere less unsavoury.

If this inspection chamber shows that you're sharing drains with your neighbours, then there is now a legal requirement to have a buildover agreement from the water company. A lot of builders still aren't aware if this so make sure your builder is aware and can explain it to you, regardless of his opinion on what is needed.

Before going into detail, let's find out where it's coming from and going to.

Thanks, I don't have the drainage searches to hand...I am sure they are in a safe place somewhere at home.

I am not 100% sure whether this is a shared drain or not and I think I will wait until our friendly builder turns up to open up the cover and have a look, but from what you are saying it sounds like there are solutions to this which will cost more but it's not a definite no no for going ahead with the build which I must admit was a concern.

We are already planning for very deep foundations between 2 - 2.5m as we have big trees and clay soil so this should just add to the fun and games and the money we are spending on the underground works.

rugbyguy223

Getting a quality conservatory built can usually depend on location, but is always about finding the best guys for the job. When I lived in Edinburgh I had my conservatory built by Ideal Windows and Conservatories – check these guys out for a quote; they do a great job.
The conservatory I had built added quite a considerable amount to the sale value of my house when I sold up.
When I moved to Sussex I did a lot of research and decided to go with Speedy Conservatories - these guys did a great job, so I would really recommend them for anyone around these parts.
The main thing to do when conducting your research is to look for good recommendations and reviews.

Dan-Dan

take your spam and stick it where the sun dont shine

Clive_Woody

rugbyguy223 wrote: »

Getting a quality conservatory built can usually depend on location, but is always about finding the best guys for the job. When I lived in Edinburgh I had my conservatory built by Ideal Windows and Conservatories – check these guys out for a quote; they do a great job.
The conservatory I had built added quite a considerable amount to the sale value of my house when I sold up.
When I moved to Sussex I did a lot of research and decided to go with Speedy Conservatories - these guys did a great job, so I would really recommend them for anyone around these parts.
The main thing to do when conducting your research is to look for good recommendations and reviews.

I certainly wouldn't buy one from an internet Spammer and to be honest would never waste money buying a conservatory.